De-winterize Satsuki?

[KingJades]

This might be a crazy idea but it just crossed my mind. I live in Zone 6B (Pittsburgh) and I have a bonsai Satsuki Azalea that has its pot down in the ground. Every time I've checked it, it seems to be alive and pushing along.

We've had cold/freezing temperatures since November, so it's probably past it's "45 day dormancy" that often gets thrown around. Maybe it's a myth or doesn't apply to Satsuki.

Is there any problem with pulling the azalea out of the ground and taking it out dormancy early for growth inside to get an early jump on the growing season?

I have Agrobrite HO T5 grow lights that I use with my tropicals that I can use with it.

 

[rockm]

Well, just because you probably could, doesn't mean you probably should.

I too have a satsuki azalea heavy with flower buds currently frozen into a mulch pile. I have no intention, however, of bringing it in and "forcing" it (which is a nursery term for making plants bloom out of season). The number of cold days each Satsuki needs to "set" (or activate) its buds for blooming varies depending on variety, I think. I would not use the 45 day dormancy "rule" as I don't think it's a rule.

Bringing my satsuki inside will weaken the plant and could even kill it, since we've still got a month and a half (or more) of winter to go along with forced air winter heat and low humidity. The plant would face really bad conditions (even with a grow light), especially from insects spider mites and other pests that plague indoor plants.

I plan on waiting and letting the plant bloom on its own time in June or so.
http://bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATCareCalendarforSatsukiAzalea.htm

 

[KingJades]

Thank you! I don't really care about the blooming too much. I do have buds on it but I wouldn't care to cut them off. Satsuki are dicey for the cold winters outside in my area. I know some people keep them indoors as a tropical.

I thought that it might be the case that it has experienced enough dormancy that I could transition it out and still have a healthy tree without risk of cold killing it.

Keeping it dormant for longer is better, but continuing to expose it to cold snaps is also not good.

I heeled it into the ground and covered with wet leaves and the snow when I have it, but I have concerns that sitting in the wet environment with little air flow is also not great for it.

I've made it this far in the ground so what's another few weeks?

Thank you!

 

[rockm]

Thank you! I don't really care about the blooming too much. I do have buds on it but I wouldn't care to cut them off. Satsuki are dicey for the cold winters outside in my area. I know some people keep them indoors as a tropical.

I thought that it might be the case that it has experienced enough dormancy that I could transition it out and still have a healthy tree without risk of cold killing it.

Keeping it dormant for longer is better, but continuing to expose it to cold snaps is also not good.

I heeled it into the ground and covered with wet leaves and the snow when I have it, but I have concerns that sitting in the wet environment with little air flow is also not great for it.

I've made it this far in the ground so what's another few weeks?

Thank you!

They are not tropical, nor are they all that tender. There winter hardiness greatly depends on the specific variety and keeping the roots from staying soggy outside all winter. I used to think I couldn't keep satsuki here in Va because it was too cold. I was told by my bonsai nursery owning friends who board tens of thousands of dollars worth of imported satsuki bonsai for clients that there are "cold climate" and "warm climate" varieties, which can make a big difference in mortality.

I have "Shiro Ebisu" which is apparently one of the cold varieties, as it has been out in the weather for the last three years in a mulch pile enduring lows at 0 F on occasion...

 

[GrimLore]

Is there any problem with pulling the azalea out of the ground and taking it out dormancy early for growth inside to get an early jump on the growing season?

As @rockm stated, most likely not needed if it is OK, a few weeks more won't hurt.

It also, as he stated depends on the type, for instance;

I have several types and so far they froze and defrosted here several times over a few day period each time. A few weeks back we went into a LONG stretch of freezing which mine don't handle well potted. At that point I put them in the attic where they stay cold but rarely will freeze for the rest of Winter here. I just let them have window light and there they sit dormant with buds ready for Summer. The setback is a light watering every few days but here it works.
For comparison I don't have a text to copy and paste in the types I have and no clue how to spell them without finding notes BUT they all came out of the Deep South and still need a good amount of dormancy for overall health.

Grimmy

 

[Cadillactaste]

I have a cold hardy satsuki which can take periods of 19F...then another which can't go below 30F. I also wouldn't force it to come out of dormancy...for one...we had an early onset of warmer temps.

 

[garywood]

As a "general rule" the narrower the leaves the more cold tolerant they are. There have been centuries of breeding for flowers that normal native range characteristics can be lost.

 

[KingJades]

Thanks to everyone for your help. I knew it was a crazy idea which is why I asked all of you. I'll leave it outside.

Would it be bad to lift it out of the ground, place it on a brick/rock to help with drainage and then leaf mulch and cover with snow to protect? I put it down in the ground for fear of the cold but it might be staying too wet with the way I did it.

 

[GrimLore]

Thanks to everyone for your help. I knew it was a crazy idea which is why I asked all of you. I'll leave it outside.

Would it be bad to lift it out of the ground, place it on a brick/rock to help with drainage and then leaf mulch and cover with snow to protect? I put it down in the ground for fear of the cold but it might be staying too wet with the way I did it.

If it is frozen there is no drainage problem... When it defrosts if it pools water then prop it up on one side a bit to allow better drainage IF needed. They can handle damp, not floating

Grimmy

 

[shinmai]

I don't have a garage, so in the fall I bought a 6' X 6' greenhouse, with a metal frame and polycarbonate panels, and a sliding door. It cost about $250 on Amazon, and I bought a thermostatic controller for another thirty bucks and connected it to a spare space heater I had laying around. I set the parameters to turn the heat on at 30 and shut off at 35. I have my Satsuki's, three rhododendrons, a daphne, and three weigela's out there. I found an inexpensive outdoor thermometer that is wireless and transmits to a display unit in my kitchen [another 15 bucks]. So far, so good. I cut back to watering every week or so, based on actual dryness. No die-off at all, and the semi-deciduous trees show no signs of wilting or damage from freezing. I figure when spring comes, I can raise the temperature parameters gradually as the weather warms up, and still protect against a sudden cold snap, until daytime temps move up into the 50's or higher.

 

[just.wing.it]

 

[Dav4]

Fwiw, I'm enjoying the relative calm before the storm, so to speak. Since December, I've only had to water an olive in my garage on a regular basis, say 3 times a week, and I may have watered the outside trees 2 times. That's all going to change in about 4 to 6 weeks. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the daily watering and hanging with my trees... but at least right now, my mornings are much less hectic then they will be next month... and it'll be here before you know it.

 

[Carol 83]

and it'll be here before you know it.

I sure hope so. First winter for me with some in the garage. Actually had to put them in the attic when we had almost 2 weeks of single digit temps.

 

[just.wing.it]

Fwiw, I'm enjoying the relative calm before the storm, so to speak. Since December, I've only had to water an olive in my garage on a regular basis, say 3 times a week, and I may have watered the outside trees 2 times. That's all going to change in about 4 to 6 weeks. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the daily watering and hanging with my trees... but at least right now, my mornings are much less hectic then they will be next month... and it'll be here before you know it.

Same here, minus olive....but I want one!

 

[JudyB]

and it'll be here before you know it

Along with OMG, repotting season!!! Are you ready???

 

[Dav4]

Along with OMG, repotting season!!! Are you ready???

Grow boxes built, mixing soil starts in earnest in a week or so.